Stopped by here with my dog on a quiet Sunday afternoon for a late lunch at one of the outdoor tables in the adjacent alley. Large wine selection and excellent food. I'll repeat, EXCELLENT FOOD. Waitress was prompt and courteous. The location is a few blocks from the harbor, so relatively quiet and not as "touristy." I don't know why some people on yelp complain about their prices. It's a restaurant in Annapolis. They have overhead. If you don't want to spend money, pick up a bottle of Merlot at Trader Joe's and drink at home.
Review Source:Arrived here right as the jazz band was warming up - great atmosphere with a friendly staff. Â My wife and I weren't all that hungry and wanted to try a place with good atmosphere not overrun by midshipmen and their families on the eve of commissioning.
We arrived a little before 7pm on Thursday night and started off with a plate of alligator sausage ($12) with a carafe of viognier ($16-18?) between the two of us. Â An excellent pairing, and the sausage was delicious.
For dinner, we split the Hawaiian Ribeye ($28) paired with a carafe of Cabernet Sauvignon ($18?). Â We asked for the steak Medium Rare, but it arrived Medium Well. Â While the waitress seemed happy to oblige us with another steak, it tasted good and was still juicy enough for our palates. Â Another successful pairing with the wine and steak, and we enjoyed our entree while the jazz band began their evening.
Excellent music and atmosphere with a delicious meal.
Not enough wines by the glass or carafe (5 of each), and prices were just a little higher than seemed appropriate. Â But, the 20% discount during the live jazz band was a pleasant surprise.
I did find it oddly humorous that the signs for the restrooms were printed up on a flat sheet of paper but had braille printed as well. Â Not sure if that meets the ADA accessibility guidelines...
I am obsessed with this place for a number of reasons:
#1: The owners - a great team made up of dynamic personalities - they work hard to keep their customers and staff happy!
#2: The staff - always friendly, very knowledgeable and seems to have a solid relationships with the owners - a plus in my book.
#3- The food - stuffed dates, perfected cooked salmon, charchuterie, you name it, it's delicious (especially the desserts!)
#4 THE WINE - oy! One of the owners, Danny, is trying to bring in more SPanish wine from areas like Valencia where he grew up. The result is interesting and unique bottles at affordable prices. LOVE LOVE LOVE
I go to this place 3-4 times a month now since it changed ownership over last summer. Its amazing - check it out!
meh - is all I can say.  I had been looking forward to dinner here for a while, and was finally able to go back.  The restaurant in Annapolis is under new ownership.  The food was ok - just ok.  Maybe we order the wrong thing, because everyone around us seemed to love what they got.  We ordered the bruschetta, which was way too garlicky, the cheese queso was fair, at best, and we order the prosciutto wrapped dates.  They were not the same as the dates we had about 6 months ago - just average  The good side is that the wine list is excellent, and the servers were extremely friendly, but all in all the experience was average at best.  I felt like they could not wait for us to leave.  All in all, if I am going to spend that kind of money, I'll go elsewhere.
Review Source:The food, atmosphere, wine and service were all top notch. The price is what will kill you. Â I started with a glass of the Riesling. Â It was the cleanest tasting wine I've ever had; crisp and sweet. Â The scallops in a curry sauce with couscous is a must order item. Â Everything was executed perfectly. Â The salmon salad was a large portion, fresh, well dressed, and I ate every last bit. Â My dining companions all raved about their meals as well. Â I'm just not so sure about $75+ a person not including tip. Â Everything was very good but I don't see myself dying to come back for more anytime soon.
Review Source:Food was excellent. Ambience was comfortable and without distractions. Manager was attentive w/out hovering. Server was knowledgable and capable. Attention to detail somewhat lacking and support staff clearly require training to complete the package. Overall, I had a pleasant experience and might go back.
Review Source:So you went to Annapolis and didn't eat at Crush? So... why did you go to Annapolis? My first visit to Crush was with my two closest friends for a Valentine's Day dinner. OK, I swear I wasn't a third wheel. Honest!
The sharply-dressed owner greeted us at the door and routinely checked in on us to share a funny story and to ensure we were having a good time. Lights down low, old jazz on the stereo, and eating dinner in one of the oldest firehouses in Annapolis.. it's like you've been pulled back 80 years and given your own personal chef and sommelier. Who could ask for more??
Food was excellent. We had the tuna tartar, scallops, bruschetta, napoleon, and alligator sausage for appetizers. Not only way everything fresh, but the presentation was simple and classy- not overly complicated. For our main course- we devoured our Hawaiian rib-eyes and salmon w/lobster sauce. Extremely tender beef (again with excellent presentation) paired with garlic mashed potatoes and greens. Salmon was moist, flaky, and not at all fishy (OK, it's expected- but lately the places I've gone have had either dry or smelly fish!). For dessert: Hazelnut ganache, tiramisu, and strawberry ganache. Hard to pick a favorites, but the tiramisu edges them out slightly...
As far as wine goes, they have a list of wines higher than I can count (I'm a Sherwood grad, after all). For those who would rather try a glass before buying an expensive bottle- they have a machine that allows you to sample expensive wines ($70+) by the glass rather than gambling on a bottle. I've never seen a machine like this... it warrants a visit by itself!
Pricing is extremely fair. We all likened this to Cafe Milano (Georgetown) without the Georgetown clientele. Parking is available streetside (metered) and in parking garages nearby. If you're planning a big night, owner Chris Chambers can even reserve a hotel room for you! How awesome is that?
The long and short of it is- whether you're impressing a special someone or impressing a client, CRUSH should be at the top of your considerations for food in Annapolis. I intend of coming back soon and as often as possobile.
Bottom line: if you do not mind leaving and feeling as though you were ripped off, you will enjoy this place.
I had purchased a groupon for $15 dollars worth of food/wine at Crush and my wife and I had something to celebrate--so we came here! It is a pleasant atmosphere inside, warm lighting, comfortable seating etc.
The owner of Crush quickly came to our table to tell us about the menu and the wine selection--nice gentleman. He came back a few minutes later with some Spanish sparkling wine (which was very tasty) on the house. We ordered a flight of four Italian wines for $35. When it came, there were only 4 glasses--not 8. For $35 we fully expected it to be a tasting for TWO. We then ordered their baked brie with brown sugar and honey glaze. It was delicious. However, it was also 1/4 the size that we expected.
In total, we had one flight of 4 wines, one glass of wine, and the baked brie--this totaled $65 (almost $80 with tip). We did not get any food other than that small piece of cheese. For $65 dollars? That is insane, and even with my groupon I couldnt help but feel ripped off.
I recommend you take your money elsewhere until this place realizes it costs at least twice as much as it should and adjusts its prices accordingly.
OVERPRICED.
I hate writing bad reviews, but I feel that this is important for both the restaurant and consumers.
If you don't want to read the entire review here is the summary:
The place attempts to be high class by charging a ton for their food and wine, but can't deliver when it comes to the quality of the food, wine, nor the staff.
Breakdown:
The good: The place is cute, Â in a really nice location, and the waiters are friendly.
The bad: I expected the place to be expensive. That's no big deal. What I didn't expect was filet mignon with gravy on it and over cooked scallops with burned cheese. The wine list wasn't really that great either. I ordered the flight of left coast reds but the waiter brought them out with no descriptions. He told me what they were, but then took the menu so I couldn't remember as I had each one. One friend tried the pitcher of sangria- 28 bucks and severely watered down. Â Also, while the waitstaff is very nice, they are very unprofessional. I think one of them was wearing a hat indoors, and they don't really know how to wait on people properly. Again... I am basing my opinion on what the service level should be based on their prices.
The ugly: ALL of the wine we had tasted like soap. Four people (we all drink wine a lot) all felt the same way. We don' know if they didn't rinse the glasses well or if the machine they served the wine out of was still in cleaning mode or something, but it was pretty bad. One of my friend's glasses still had crud on the outside of it. When you serve people the check, you don't come pick it up before they leave unless you HAVE to because you are checking out, Â the place is closing, or your table asks you to. We felt rushed and we should not have.
Overall, we won't be going back. We left and went across the street to Level for desserts and ended up regretting not going there in the first place.
Overpriced.
A glass of wine averages about $10. They also sell "flights" -- 4 half servings -- at ~$35. The wine is nice, but not *that* nice.
The entrees are under seasoned and the preparation is fairly simple. There's nothing wrong with simple home cooking, but when it comes with a fine dining price tag, that's a problem.
The service is just OK, nothing to remark upon.
The restaurant does have a nice ambiance, at least.
Final thoughts: skip this one and go to Grapes instead.
Great little gem that we found strolling around Annapolis! Â After checking out the Naval Academy and the boats on the harbor, we decided to get away from the busy traffic and walk inland to find a place to eat, and I am glad we stumbled into this one! Â They have a great variety of wines, including this machine that not only keeps the wine fresh, it dispenses equal pours as well. Â There is a good selection of food, options for both light and heavy fares- My girlfriends and I got the crab stuffed mushrooms along with the filet mignon to share and both were delicious! Â The wait staff has a positive attitude and is always attentive without being too intrusive. Â I highly recommend stopping by to check it out, and on days when the weather is nice, they open the windows so you can still enjoy the outdoors!
Review Source:I'm giving Crush 5 stars specifically because they have a sparkling rose called Bebe that I can't find ANYWHERE else! Â It is very inexpensive as far as sparkling rose goes and it tastes like a delicious sparkling sweet tart! Â I strongly suggest you get a few bottles to go! Â Also, their prosciutto wrapped dates make my mouth water just thinking about them! Â I don't particularly remember the service since each time I have been, I was so excited about having a bottle of Bebe and the stuffed dates that I didn't notice anything else!
Review Source:Very neat concept, love the Argon wine dispenser! Â
The staff needs to learn how to listen and actually answer guests questions. Â I listened to our server and another be asked simple questions regarding the wine and they gave vague, generalized answers...this makes me think that they either don't know that much about wine or assume the person they are talking to is not capable of learning or understanding, this takes away from the experience.
With three other wine bars in close proximity I would think that each would want to shine and not settle on mediocrity.
Very nice staff, and a neat concept. The menu is very limited and other than 3 or 4 half price apps at Happy Hour there are no bargins. I had the tuna tartar, at $8 usual price was $16. Large and very fresh, it could have done with some seasoning. Wine selection was nice my glass was $9. I guess the menu was prepared daily. 3 entrees 4 salads and 3/4 appetizer. Just not enough selection for me. Not a dinner destination.
Review Source:The owner is super friendly, helpful and nice. The wine selection is great! Â The food, however is sub par and too expensive. Â The 11.00 Guacamole with store bought chips is awful. Â They basically just smashed up and avocado and placed it on a small bowl. Â No lime, cilantro, spice or anything? Â Other food dishes were OK, but really just overpriced. Â I hate to give them just a 3 star review because the ambiance and wine is great....but they need to up their food value and flavor.
Review Source:Great wine, obviously, but great food, great service, and also just a very cool place to go. Â Wine was actually pretty reasonably priced for its value...their best red was like $79 and it was de-lish!
They had an appetizer (which they brought out for free?!) and it was bacon wrapped dates with some sort of cheese and honey on it. Â Original and very good. Â
We all got the petite fillet, which was again, very reasonably priced and cooked perfectly. Â Great job on the execution here.....it's a pet peeve of mine when places screw up steak.
Server was smart and friendly, which added to the experience. Â Went with a group of 4 total and used a <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FRestaurant.com&s=0aab4cbd731f3d3b0d1453050d3abc56a8c80bd214e25469c7555b750dca8a51" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Restaurant.com</a> certificate, but our server was unswayed by this "coupon" and his service continued to be great. Â It's a small enough place where your wait-staff isn't pulled in a million directions, so he could tell us about the different wines, etc.
Overall, I would return even without a discount. Â Great spot!
I fell in love here .. Â
the simplicity yet sophistication of atmosphere and ambiance here...
the wine selection of course was paramount (which every wine bar should)
and the food equally as satisfying ! Â
the decor here is classy and romantic.. and perfect for groups, dinner dates or a solo glass at the bar....
i honestly can't wait to return...
We had a very positive experience here. Went on a groupon to try it out and we were very impressed. Â It was a little loud but it was pretty busy. Â The owner (I think) was really nice and helpful in picking out some wines to try - and they were spot on target for what we had asked for. Â I feel that the prices are very reasonable too. Â We did not eat diner but plan on going back. Â The menu looked very good.
I'm a big fan.
A really cool place, Â with a wide, eclectic selection of wines, Â both by the glass and by the bottle. Â They also have a cool tasting setup, where you buy a smart card and self dispense red wines in three portion sizes. Â
We didn't eat there, Â but the menu looks very good and appropriate for a wine bar.
We look forward to going back.
I bought a <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Flivingsocial.com&s=2456932cd5ebcc60ad30944e723e56ffdb2706564dcfac90fbf2e821a2c1c821" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://livingsocial.com</a> voucher for Crush Winehouse with the intent to try a new place at a great price! Â It was my mistake from the beginning, I thought it was a wine store that also served.
When I arrived it had great ambiance, reservations were highly suggested because it is small (intimate). Â It would be a nice date place. Â The menu was limited, but people seemed to be enjoying it. Â If you like wine by the glass, there is none better. Â There were probably 15 bottles on-tap (they use a machine that keeps it fresh by eliminating the air, what's that called?)
Ahhhh, here is rub. Â My voucher was specific for bottles of wine. Â I picked out three that were off the beaten path and I was really interested in trying with friends later in the month. Â Sounds great right? Â Wrong! Â There is one wine price list for those who purchase on-site and completely another for those with a livingsocial voucher.........
Sucker......my voucher enabled me to purchase a lower quality of wine at restaurant prices. Â
Â
Everyone's definition of a discount is different I suppose, but if the idea is to gain business, this was not it. Â I think I will stick to the usual wine shops.
Side note: I put 4 stars because I do think it will be a great place for you to explore. Â The wine did seem reasonably priced for non-voucher people. Â I felt it was only fair to warn others with this voucher of shady business practices.
Crush does food and wine, and they do it well.
The atmosphere is warm, cozy and stylish. There are empty wine bottles lining every window and every step on a spiral staircase to nowhere. The chandelier lights remind me of the naked light bulbs at Clever Bottle in Seattle. It's familiar, and for that it earns a star.
The food is amazing. The goat cheese stuffed dates with honey and clover are amazing, really. They are my husband's favorite food. We've also had the bruschetta and cheese. We haven't had dinner here, but I'm sure it's fab.
The wine is well selected, I haven't had anything I didn't like here. They have an Enomatic machine, which I hadn't encountered before. It's a self-serve wine dispensing machine. It dispenses in 3 different amounts, and you pay for it with a pre-paid, refillable card. It's excellent for paying for little 1 oz pours to taste a few different varieties.
They have a pretty alright happy hour with some 1/2 priced apps and glasses of wine. No HH on weekends though, which seems to be pretty standard for the area.
I wish they had some more snack like food for happy hour. I've always been anti-olives and anti-nuts. Something like truffle fries or fancy popcorn would be nice.
Also of note is that the owner is very kind. We met him on our first visit, he gave us some pointers about places to check out while we were apartment shopping.
Pros: Atmosphere, food, wine selection, service, Enomatic machine, WIFI
Cons: Price (though it's justified, so not really much of a con)
EDIT: Upgraded to 5 stars, the chef is freaking amazing.
Just a few blocks walk from home makes this an easy choice. Â Last night was our 3rd visit - and the place has settled in for me as a 3-star review. Â
There was a jazz performance @ 7pm last night, so points to the hostess who greeted us when we walked in @ 6pm and suggested the patio or the bar - or we could have an inside floor table if we'd be done by 7pm. Â That was fair and a great way to let us know those tables were reserved without being rude.
Over several months, neither the standard menu nor the wines-by-the-glass have changed much (or at all). Â I really wanted to try a different wine, but the choices I'd been faced with prior were still the same and I'd run them through. Â While they do offer varying daily food specials, they really should switch up the wine offerings, too. Â I went with the grenache and Mr. Ireland who didn't want the zinfandel offered again went with the waitress's suggestion of the syrah which was amazing (McLean). Â The glass, carafe, bottle option is very nice and all are fairly-priced.
For food the osso bucco special sounded good, but at $68 we took a pass. Â We went with the tried and true - mentioned many times in other Crush review - the prosciutto-wrapped dates with goat cheese drizzled in honey. Â The tuna tartare, very good as well. Â And we split a panini with mozzarella, sun-dried tomato and prosciuitto.
Nice local option. Â However, with so many wine bars opened or getting ready to open, Crush will need to work a bit harder to keep things fresh and not just ride on the same food and wine offerings...
First, read my friend Nina's review. There isn't much more I can possibly add to her review, except to say we had an absolutely amazing time. Some short, key things to remember when it comes to Crush:
*Make reservations
*Order the proscuitto-wrapped dates
*If you're on a date or really want to impress somebody, order the Chef's special....it won't dissapoint
*Park at the Loews hotel next door for $2 valet when you mention you're going to Crush
*If you can, check out their Happy Hour and save good $$$ on appetizers and glasses of wine
That's about it....enjoy! Oh, and they also seem to run some fun events at Crush including an upcoming Fat Tuesday special with lots of good Creole food to be had. Also certain musicians perform certain nights, give them a call to see what's coming up soon.
And lastly......GO HERE!!!
What a beautiful and cozy  wine bar!
I highly recommend this place for an after dinner drink. The ambiance is definitely what makes this place. Â It is warm and cozy and conducive to a romantic evening or a girls night out.
You know this a great place when there are no seats in the house on a Saturday night! It didn't take too long for the bar to open up a few seats.
They have several flights ones for Reds and Whites.  The one that they had that evening that caught my eye was a Pinot Noir flight.  But we opted for a bottle of Malbec-Cab blend that was reccomended by the owner.  It was fabulous! while this wine needed to decanter, they have at the bar a speed-decanter device that utilizes the Ventri Effect to decanter the wine as you drink it.  I found it interesting that the brand name for it was "Vinturi".  I learned about that effect when working on installed dewatering  systems.  If you know what a Peri-jet is you totally know what I am talking about!
I didn't get a chance to taste the food, but i did get some cheese and I was pleasantly surpised to learn that they get their cheeses from Tastings Gourmet!!!! Â (Read my Review on Tastings) Â It was nice to see that they had my favorite cheese the Truffle Tremor. Â
I will definitely got back to have more wine and try their food!
I was a bit hesitant to try Crush because I was a big fan of Purple Tooth that used to be in this same location. But I have to give Crush a shout out for maintaining a nice ambiance and for the delicious food.
Park next door at Lowe's Hotel. Tell them you're going to Crush Winehouse and valet parking is $2. They also have garage parking (free on Sundays).
The chef studied at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school and has done a nice job with the menu. Maia provided excellent service- a slow Sunday is the best day to go. We were celebrating something special and tried several dishes.
Prosciutto Wrapped, Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates with Truffled Honey: 5 delicious dates that I am going to try to make at home. There is a nice touch of goat cheese in the middle- not too much, and the honey is amazing.
Roasted Garlic and Fresh Olive Oil Brushchette: 5 slices, just enough roasted garlic to keep you wanting more.
Cream of Asparagus soup infused with bacon. Can I say OH MY!!! This is wonderful! I died and went to heaven. I had a cup...that was perfect.
Caramelized Apple and Brie Panini with roasted red bell pepper. I still like the panini menu from the Purple Tooth but this was good. I wish they cut it into about 3-4 finger sized pieces. Comes with a side salad that Maia described as small but it was a good size.
Chicken Breast Salad with chopped strawberries, candied walnuts, blue cheese, mixed greens and strawberry vinaigrette. Large plate- we couldn't finish it.
Crispy Warm Duck Breast Arugula lettuce with a white truffle vinaigrette. Small pieces of duck but very tasty. This also came on a large dish and is good for sharing between at least two people.
Special 10 oz lobster tail (I am told it was extremely delicious) and an 8 oz fillet served on a board and delivered to the table by the chef. It had a wonderful portabello mushroom demi-glaze that did not over intensify the fillet. The lobster tail was served on a bed of sauteed (?) spinach with roasted potatoes. Nice job chef. Worth the $62.
Two scoops of lemon sorbet - hope you're sharing.
Pumpkin pie creme brule. Yes, that is right. Two favorite desserts merged into one. Thank you for insisting we try it. I will order this next time!
I miss the wine selection and how the Purple Tooth used to offer more flights and wine by the glass. But I give my complements to Crush's menu and the service is friendly. I would enjoy lounging on the sofas and comfy chairs or sitting at the bar next time for a happy hour between 4 and 6:30pm Monday thru Friday.
This place is a great addition to Annapolis! Â My first time there I sat at the bar just to check it out while I was waiting for my reservation at Level. Â The bartender was super knowledgeable and described the flights they had on special in a way that didn't make me feel dumb. Â Turns out he was the owner - Bob. Â The chef had just moved to Annapolis from Santa Barbara, which is where my date was from. Â He came out of the kitchen and introduced himself and then sent us pumpkin creme brulee with truffles and berries, on the house. Â We promised we would come back and have dinner soon.
The next time we came in we were running late and they told us they had just closed the kitchen down. Â The chef was so nice, he came out and said he would keep it open for us. Â Bob remembered us and said - We promised we would feed you guys this time, sit down! Â We got the stuffed dates, scallops, and tomato and artichoke brushette. Â It was all really good. Â The stuffed dates were very sweet, I could have eaten them for dessert, but the saltiness from the prosciutto balanced it out nicely. Â They were drenched in truffle honey, which I would like to bathe myself in. Â The scallops had a light dusting of old bay, and lets face it, old bay makes everything better. Â The brushette was good, I probably would of got the sun dried tomato and goat cheese one instead but I let my date pick. Â
The bartender picked out a varietal for me after I vaguely described to him what I was in the mood for. Â It was called Revolution, and it was awesome. Â The chef gave us their new flavor of creme brulee on the house (again) and headed home. Â Funny thing is, it was a totally different chef! Â We stayed and shot the shit with the bartender for a bit, he was a riot. Â Apparently you can hire him to come do a private wine tasting party at your house. Â Crush provides the wine and the bartender provides just the right amount of dry humor to appease your stuffy wine house party throwing friends.
Crush was one of our many stops during The Annapolis Food & Wine Festival 2010 and we were very pleased with our samples. Â The AFWF was not a huge hit in my opinion due to the lack of preparation and organization of the event planning organization NOT the restaurants themselves. Â With that being said I feel Crush was tied with as my top pick along with Azure (at The Westin) for the festival.
Ambiance of the winehouse was unique, warm, and inviting. Â They have couches and chairs instead of your usual tables in a restaurant. Â (That may have been due to the event however I'm not sure.) Â A great wine station to purchase cards that can be used to sample a variety of wines. Â I wasn't a huge fan of the Pinot Noir however their wine list looked extensive offering wines from varying regions and varietals that I would definitely like to go back and sample.
The wild mushroom risotto was creamy and flavorful, great especially considering all the food had to be prepared in advance that day. Â The truffled mushrooms which melt in my mouth were a HUGE up-sell to the dish. Â Typically I would have seared clear of a cream based soup however the crab bisque was decadent!!
This is a fantastic place to relax with a perfect glass of wine. The charming wine house looks small from the outside, but once inside you'll see there are plenty of tables, comfy couches and a bar. The staff is very knowledgeable. I love how the owners are always present and willing to assist you with anything - even if its clearing dishes from your table. The food is always fantastic- the bruchetta being a personal favorite of mine. I am planning on joining Crush U in June. Crush has a fantastic happy hour with 4.00 select wines, 3.00 beers and 1/2 price menu of appetizers. Looking forward to many more nights relaxing at Crush.
I've editted this place down to two stars. The Chef has left, the original owner removed and the place has lost all appeal to me. If i want expensive food with not great taste, I'd pick a chain restaurant somewhere. Ugh. Won't go back
Relaxed, friendly, intimate place to hang out with friends, linger with that special someone on date night, or to learn a bit more about wine. Â Crush provides a great place for an inquisitive drinker: Â they offer 1oz, 2.5oz or 5oz pours of many wines and take the time to educate their customers with a variety of wine tastings throughout the week.
The owners are very friendly and vivacious, stopping frequently to introduce themselves and chat with guests. Â The staff take the time to provide recommendations on food and wine, and remember repeat visitors.
The plates are small enough to try a few things and be perfectly content without being stuffed. Save room for delicious desserts like creme brulee or some lovely chocolate truffles (my favorites were the Caramel Fleur de Sel and the Tropical Typhoon - mango with a hint of cayenne).
Whether you stop by for a quick drink or want to make a hedonistic wine-and-food-filled night of it, Crush fits the bill. Â And the hotel is right next door if need be!
Just a great friendly place with an excellent selection of wine that tends to favor Italy over France.
They have a super high tech system where they have 20 or so bottles attached to an machine that pumps argon into bottles to keep them fresh. This allows one to try really nice wines a little at a time, not normally possible. You get a card that tracks how much you taste.
And they just have regular menu you can order off of as well. Just a superb place run by really, really nice people. Did not have the food but it looked great.
My first time in Annapolis and of course, I fall in love. Even better, I'm in love, and I live in Phoenix. I say "I wish I could stay longer." She says, "Please don't go." Â I say, "I promise I'll come to visit." She says, "I may not be able to wait." Sigh. But I mean it! I would happily visit Annapolis, Maryland again just to visit CRUSH WINEHOUSE, a perfectly European winebar.
Of all the small, charming establishments on West St in downtown Annapolis, CRUSH was my favorite. And to think, I only stopped in for 15 minutes! I was waiting for my airport shuttle to arrive at the Loews hotel next door, and I was compelled to stop in for a glass of wine. Yes, it was 4pm, and yes, I might be a lush. Regardless, it was one of the best 15 minutes of my trip.
Bob and Janet, the proprietors, were so welcoming and accommodating. They both made terrific recommendations on wine and a snack. I took their suggestion of a glass of Verdicchio, which was crisp and perfect on a warm afternoon (especially perfect in anticipation of a long ride to the airport!). I also sampled their olives and basil honey almonds - divine! I was tempted to dump the small bowl of almonds into my pockets so I could keep snacking on these on the way to the airport - but, I'm classier than that, and just made due with a final handful on my way out.
Janet gave me a small tour. The layout is very classy and quaint. They play up the wine motif, with lovely wine-themed artwork, and displays of wine bottles along the walls and on a circular staircase. I went during the day, but I am positive that the room looks very inviting and chic at night, with dim chandeliers and candles lighting the room. They have a bar in the back, and then small tables and couches with cute wine-colored pillows. The building itself is made of brick, and they did a lovely job keeping the the room to its original style, utilizing the space well, and incorporating the brick and large windows into the decor. Â
All the wines are hand-picked by Bob and Janet, and she said they have tasted most of them. They do sell wine retail, which is great if  you really like a particular wine and want to take a bottle home. They also have the coolest wine tasting hub, where you use your loaded CRUSH Card (like a Starbucks card) to sample wine by the 1 oz, 3 oz, 5 oz, or 8 oz sampling. It's a pour-it-yourself system, at the touch of a button! Think the Coke room at Disney. The system fully preserves the wine, and Janet told me that they will put more expensive wine here for people to try, as well as wine that they only have a few bottles left.
I loved this winehouse. It is the perfect place to have a wonderful glass of wine in a very fun and classy atmosphere. They just recently opened, and with such a great idea, I am sure they will do well. They are located right next door to the Loews Annapolis Hotel and will validate parking at the Loews valet for 2 hours! Do visit Bob and Janet - their winehouse is perfectly charming.
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